The inclusion of economic and environmental information in a common framework to measure the contribution of the environment to the economy and the impact of the economy on the environment. Environmental accounts enable governments to set priorities, monitor economic policies more precisely, enact more effective environmental regulations and resource management strategies, and design more efficient market instruments for environmental policies (Lange et al. (2003) Nat. Resources Forum 27, 1). Pulselli et al. (2006) Ecol. Econ. 60, 1 use environmental accounting in calculating an index of sustainable economic welfare. See C. Barrow (2005).

An environmental audit is the practice of assessing, checking, testing, and verifying a process of environmental management, and/or the product(s) arising from it; see Alvarez-Larrauri and Fogel (2008) J. Cleaner Prod. 16, 1 on environmental audits in Mexico.